preflop mechanics

BTN open vs Rec in BB who 3bets small, nitty range AQs+, JJ+:

still call wide, but prefer hands w good implied odds vs dominated hands like AJo:

blinds facing open from any position

vs UTG we can use same as vs MP

Minimum ~4% blind defense strategy heads-up against an MP (20%) open-raise
The minimum 4% defense is covered by:

• 3-bet {KK+} for value together with 20% of "OOP 3-bet air list"
• Flat {QQ,AK}
• This gives ~4% total defense

Alternatively

• 3-bet {QQ+,AK} for value together with 50% of "OOP 3-bet air list"
• This gives 6% total defense

Minimum ~7% blind defense strategy heads-up against a CO (25%) open-raise
The minimum 7% blind defense is covered by:

• 3-bet {QQ+,AK} for value together with 50% of "OOP 3-bet air list"
• Flat {JJ-TT,AQ}
• This gives ~8% total defense

Minimum ~16% blind defense strategy heads-up against a button (35%) open-raise
The minimum 16% blind defense is covered by:

• 3-bet {TT+,AQ} for value together with 100% of "OOP 3-bet air list"
• Flat the whole "OOP flat list": {99-77,AJs-ATs,AJo,KTs+,KQo,QJs,JTs} =70 combos
• This gives ~17% total defense

Cliffs: its very hard to exploit blinds from EP, so you shouldnt worry too much about defense.

facing 3bet OOP // facing open IP

optimal strategy pairs for various open-ranges OOP (Alice), together with Bob's lists of 3-bet-bluff hands and flatting hands IP:

Alice opens 15%: Bob plays 15.8% (with 3-bet% =3.6%)
Alice opens 20%: Bob plays 17.0% (with 3-bet% =5.3%)
Alice opens 25%: Bob plays 19.2% (with 3-bet% =8.7%)
Alice opens 30%: Bob plays 19.5% (with 3-bet% =9.4%)
Alice opens 35%: Bob plays 20.3% (with 3-bet% =10.2%)
Alice opens 40%: Bob plays 20.3% (with 3-bet% =10.2%)

BTN open facing 3bet // blinds facing BTN open

optimal strat for opening 35% btn facing a 3bet:

4-bet {QQ+,AK} =34 combos for value
4-bet {ATo,A9s-A7s} =24 combos as a bluff
Flat {JJ-88,AQ-AJ,ATs,KQ-KJ,KTs,QJ,QTs,JTs} =120 combos

optimal strat for a villain facing my open:

- defend about 17% of the time (more when flatting)
- value 62 combos AQ+,TT+ (we 3bet/ 5bet these)
- flat 70 combos 

- bluff 100 combos (see Equilab stored range)

it's mostly button openraising that forces the blinds to defend very aggressively, and that we can play much tighter against raises from earlier positions

vs 2x btn open blinds have to defend 43% combined


vs 3x open its 33% combined (~17% each blind, BB should defend more)


^^ this is true when we defend by 3-betting. if we defend by flatting, we have to use 1.5 call multiplier, because we let btn see flop and realize some equity.

pf ranges

theres a 74 vpip fish in the blinds, im not folding anything pre if i have position, im flatting A8o and K9o on the button